#117

As if he knew what I was thinking, Boss Jo Yoonhoe laughed heartily and said.

“Luckily, it wasn’t a big accident, so that’s good enough. I’m satisfied with that. Plus, the fact that you’re offering support for the aftermath makes it even better.”

His voice carried sincerity, and I felt relieved, bowing my head once again.

“Well then, I’ll head back now.”

“Yes. Thank you so much for coming all the way here. I really appreciate your thoughtful consideration as well.”

We exchanged warm farewells, and after being seen off by Boss Jo Yoonhoe, I got back into the car. As soon as I sat down, I searched for the laptop, and Secretary Jung Minjae handed over his work laptop to me.

As I turned on the laptop and connected the USB, the car smoothly started moving. I felt the sway of the car as it moved and played the video file stored on the USB. Fortunately, it seemed the video had already been edited, as the footage immediately showed the culprit walking toward the trash heap.

In the video, the culprit stopped in front of the trash heap, looked around, poured oil, and then lit it with a lighter. After confirming the fire was properly ignited, the person quickly turned around and fled.

……That was fast. From looking around to pouring the oil, lighting the fire, and running away, it didn’t even take a minute. I raised an eyebrow at the culprit’s swift actions.

There’s something professional about this. Plus, this……

I rewound the video, which had already ended, and played it again.

The culprit comes, looks around, pours the oil, lights the fire…… Yes, here. Just before the culprit ran away, I paused the video at the exact moment their head tilted slightly. I held my breath as I closely observed the still frame.

As I suspected, the culprit had looked directly at the CCTV.

Through the deep-brimmed hat and mask, the culprit’s eyes were clearly focused on the CCTV. They weren’t surprised at all, calmly, as if they already knew the camera was there.

I tightened my jaw and pressed play on the paused video. In that fleeting moment, the culprit’s eyes shifted quickly, and their head turned, disappearing from the frame. Watching that, I furrowed my brow in discomfort.

“Sir? What’s wrong?”

Noticing my displeased expression, Jung Minjae asked with a puzzled voice. I looked up from the screen, about to explain what I had seen in the CCTV footage.

“Ah, it’s just……”

But I couldn’t continue my words. It was because of what I saw through the car’s windshield.

The road, now dark as night had fallen, was illuminated by the bright headlights of a huge truck coming from the opposite direction. The glaring lights were approaching rapidly.

And it was crossing the center line, heading straight toward the front of the car that Secretary Jung Minjae and I were in.

What the……! I had to say something to Jung Minjae about this situation, but I was so shocked that no words would come out. Noticing my reaction, Secretary Jung Minjae, who had been looking at the rearview mirror, turned his gaze forward.

His shoulders stiffened instantly as he witnessed the same sight I did. Whether trying to avoid an accident or driven by some survival instinct, Jung Minjae sharply turned the steering wheel. In an instant, the car’s direction changed, and the body of the car swayed.

Bang!

A terrifying crash sounded from very close by.

***

Lee Daon, lying lazily on the living room couch, hummed softly, a small smile on his face that made it obvious he was in a good mood. At that moment, Lee Gaon, who had come downstairs to get a drink of water, made a sour face upon seeing his brother.

“You’re really that happy?”

“Of course, I am. Our president said he’s coming home early, how could I not be happy?”

Lee Daon’s eyes were glued to his smartphone, where he was smiling at a message from Goo Won saying he’d be home early. Seeing his younger brother act so silly for the first time, Lee Gaon’s face contorted in a mix of frustration.

“Do you realize how weird you’re acting right now?”

“It’s fine. As long as I don’t look weird to the president.”

Lee Gaon’s eyebrows twitched at the excited tone in Lee Daon’s voice. He hesitated for a moment, then slowly walked over to the empty sofa and plopped down.

“Are you serious about this?”

“About what?”

Lee Daon’s nonchalant reply made Lee Gaon gnaw at his lips in hesitation.

“……About the president. Are you serious?”

“Of course. You know I can’t lie, and I don’t care about pretenses.”

He was right. Lee Gaon knew Lee Daon was someone who couldn’t speak a word he didn’t mean, and didn’t care about social niceties. If he was acting this way toward Goo Won, it was because he genuinely liked him.

Thinking about that, Lee Gaon stared at Lee Daon with complicated eyes and let out a heavy sigh.

“Seriously, what are you thinking, Daon?”

At the sound of Lee Gaon’s darker tone, Lee Daon finally looked up from his smartphone and turned his gaze toward his older brother.

“What’s the point you’re trying to make?”

The blunt question made Lee Gaon flinch slightly and shudder his shoulders. He paused as if debating whether or not to speak, his lips moving slightly before he finally spoke in a measured tone.

“You’re both men, he’s the company president, and you’re an idol. Plus, there’s an age gap of 8 years. There are just too many reasons why this shouldn’t work.”

“Lee Gaon.”

“You’ll get hurt. I’m sure of it.”

The careful yet firm certainty in his voice made Lee Daon furrow his brow.

“So, what are you saying? I shouldn’t like the president?”

“Yeah. If you’re going to give up, the sooner the better.”

Lee Daon straightened up, his sharp words cutting through the air, and once again, Lee Gaon responded firmly.

“It’s none of your business. Stop interfering. I’ll handle my own issues.”

“Why is it not my business? I’m your brother.”

“Even if you’re my brother, meddling in my love life is too much. Stop treating me like a kid. We’re the same age, you know……”

“I know that…… but……”

Lee Gaon suddenly felt a dryness in his throat and swallowed hard. As he looked at his sulking face, Lee Daon let out a deep sigh.

“Hyung. Gaon hyung.”

“…….”

“Have you ever heard someone tell you that everything will be okay?”

With a voice softened even further, Lee Daon continued, not waiting for his brother’s reply.

“Have you ever heard someone say that the scary things are all over? Have you ever met someone who, after being treated terribly and being hurt by you, would still chase after you just to make sure you don’t catch a cold?”

“…….”

“The only person who ever said and did all that was the president. Is that even possible? Out of all the people I’ve met, the president is the only one who acted like that.”

“Daon……”

At Lee Gaon’s sighing call, Lee Daon stared at him intently.

“I’ve only met that kind of person once in my life, and now, for something as trivial as age or gender, I can’t just give up out of fear. I can’t do that.”

“…….”

“If it doesn’t work out, so what? If I get hurt someday, then so what? Right now, I’m so happy that it feels like I’m going to die. Isn’t that enough reason to keep liking him?”

Lee Daon said this with a bright smile, the kind of smile that said he felt happier than ever. Seeing that face, Lee Gaon froze for a moment, a bit shocked. So, this kid could smile like that? For a moment, his twin brother, someone he had spent his whole life with, seemed strangely unfamiliar.

“So, just don’t worry about it. You do your thing, and I’ll take care of mine.”

“……If you regret it later, don’t say I didn’t warn you. You’re the one who didn’t listen to the advice.”

“Yeah.”

With a light and carefree response, as if there was nothing to worry about, Lee Gaon let out a small sigh. He was sure that soon, his younger brother’s bright smile would fade. The chairman of Haje Group and an idol—impossible. Especially when it’s the same sex.

Lee Gaon shook his head as he looked at Lee Daon, who was still grinning and staring at his phone screen. He then rose from the sofa to get the water he had originally come down for. But he had to stop when he saw Nam Yisol sprinting down the stairs like a madman, his face pale as a ghost.

“Yisol hyung?”

“Ga, Ga, Gaon……! Has the president not come back yet?!”

Nam Yisol’s voice trembled, and his whole body was shaking. Lee Gaon gave him a worried look and approached him, gently placing a hand on his shoulder.

“No, he hasn’t come back yet. What’s going on?”

Hoping that Nam Yisol might calm down a little, Lee Gaon spoke calmly, but just then, he heard the thumping of footsteps on the stairs, and Jung Hosu and Yoo Euiseo came rushing down. Lee Gaon took his eyes off Nam Yisol’s pale face and looked at the other two, whose faces didn’t seem much different, and his expression hardened.

Something big was definitely happening. Lee Gaon was certain of it, and he turned to Jung Hosu, who appeared to be in slightly better condition, and asked him.

“What’s going on, hyung?”

In response to Lee Gaon’s question, Jung Hosu shakily handed him the smartphone he had been holding in his trembling hands. Noticing the strange atmosphere, Lee Daon, who had been lying on the sofa, quietly approached Lee Gaon and glanced at the smartphone screen that Jung Hosu handed him.

[Exclusive Report] [Haje Group’s Chairman, Goo Won, Dies in a Car Accident.]